Improvement in weather-board gages



J. D. HOBBS.

I Weather-Board Gage. No. 221,732.

Patented Nov. 18, I879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH D. HOBBS, OF MEDIAPOLIS, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WEATHER-BOARD GAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,732, dated November 18, 1879; application filed August 28, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOSEPH D. HOBBS, of Mediapolis, Des Moines county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'Weather-Board Gages, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a siding-tool, aud to mechanism for adjusting it.

Heretofore such tools have been adapted only to boards of a certain breadth and thickness, 7 and only those without warp. Then there has been no substantial post-brace, nor any means employed to hold the tool firmly to the building.

The object of my invention is to provide a siding-tool which may be adapted to any siding of any thickness or breadth, whether warped or not; also, to make it of sufficient firmness, so that it cannot be removed or pressed from its position without proper adjustment.

The invention consists in a siding-tool with a body, K K, a solid piece, with a curved extension, S. Near the base of the curved extension S is a post, A, in opposite direction from the extended curve S, which is covered on the bottom with pyramidal projections. A short space from post A is a cylinder, 0 0, extending in direction and length correspondin g to such post A. The cylinder 0 O incloses a loose vertical shaft, G G, which extends above the top of said cylinder 0 O, on which extension rests the lever F. At the base of the shaft G G is a circular plate or washer, B. The shaft G G is encircled nearly the length of the cylinder by a spiral spring, H, which spiral spring rests upon an inward projection of the base of cylinder 0 O, and at the top is held in place by a projection of the loose shaft G G. The lever F is connected by a rivet to the body KK at the point B. Near the other extremity from the postAis abolt or gage, O, capable of adjustment by means of the screwbolt E. The bolt or gage 0 works in a slot reaching the whole length of a graduated scale, D. A socket, L, is joined to the body K K by two curved bars or braces T N.

The operation of the device is as follows: First, adjustthe bolt 0 ata distance from the cylinder 0 0 equal to the desired width of the siding to the weather on the graduated scale D by means of the screw E. Then press the lever F, which presses the loose vertical shaft G G, till the plate or Washer B leaves the base of the cylinder 0 0. Insert the edge of the plate B, in this extended position, under the edge of the last siding nailed onto the build ing. Then remove the pressure from the lever F, and by means of the spiral spring H the plate B is pressed tightly against the siding and the tool at the point of the cylinder 0 O is pressed against the building in the same proportion.

By means of the spiral spring H the pyramidal projections on the bottom of post A are drawn firmly against the siding. This prevents the tool from slipping. Then place the siding to be nailed onto the buildingon the bolt or gage O, as adjusted above and drawn solidly against the building by means of the spiral spring H. The extended curve P prevents the board from falling or the wind from driving it from its place. The socket L is for holding knife, pencil, &c. The curved extension S is for hanging the saw, 860., on.

The board having been nailed on, by again pressing the lever F the vertical shaft G G and the plate B at its base are again extended below the cylinder 0 O, and thus pushes the tool from the building by loosening the bottom of post A-and the bolt 0. Then by a slight pull the blade B is drawn from its place under the edge of the siding, and the tool is free, ready for use again.

What I claim is Weather-board gage, brace-post, with pyramidal-projection base, cylinder 0 O, extending in same direction as the brace-post, with loose vertical shaft therein, with shaft encircled by spiral spring the length of the cylinder, circular plate at base of shaft, lever working on the head of the shaft, adjustable bolt or gage O, in graduated slotted scale, socket with tapering month, all as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH D. HOBBS.

Witnesses:

J. H. BREMIMERMAN, H. F. ROLDER. 

